Rush Limbaugh says he was not calling for a riot in Denver during the Democratic National Convention — he only “dreams” of it, to the tune of “White Christmas.”

For a second day in a row today, the conservative talker discussed the potential for protests and power struggles at the August convention.

“Now, I am not inspiring or inciting riots. I’m dreaming, I’m dreaming of riots in Denver,” he said mimicking the holiday tune.

He explained on-air: “Riots in Denver at the Democrat Convention would see to it we don’t elect Democrats,” Limbaugh said. “And that’s the best damn thing (that) could happen for this country as far as anything I can think.”

Glenn Spagnuolo,an organizer with the protest group Re-create 68, called Limbaugh “a fool.”

“We don’t need another 5,000 illiterate Limbaugh listeners coming to Colorado,” he said, mocking a comment this week by State Rep. Douglas Bruce, R-Colorado Springs, calling migrant workers “illiterate peasants” as he debated a bill to accommodate up to 5,000 guest workers in the state.

Calls to a Limbaugh spokeswoman were not immediately returned.

Mayor John Hickenlooper said, “”Anyone who would call for riots in an American city has clearly lost their bearings.”

Jenni Engebretsen, a spokeswoman for the convention, declined to respond to Limbaugh.

“I think we’ll pass on this one,” she said.

Limbaugh is heard by more than 14 million listeners a week.

Limbaugh’s Denver affiliate, 850 KOA, issued a statement today, saying its marquee talker “was not advocating violence in Denver,” according to the statement listing program director Kris Olinger as the contact.

Olinger did not return telephone calls for comment, but the station sent out a second e-mail to local media stating, “Did he go to far? Or is this just Rush being Rush?”

On Wednesday, Limbaugh had been discussing comments by the Rev. Al Sharpton, who had warned of “trouble” at the convention if the nomination was wrested away from Barack Obama by superdelegates.

Local conservative talk show host and GOP activist John Andrews saw what he believes Limbaugh was getting at.

“Look, nobody seriously wants violence and civil disobedience at the Denver convention,” he said. “Rush is just saying, ‘Make our day’; if, in fact, the Re-create ’68 hooligans or the Al Sharpton street toughs or anybody else wants to disrupt the convention, they’re going to hurt Democrats’ chances in the fall.”

Responding to a caller Thursday, Limbaugh held his ground but softened his tone.

“Who wishes for riots?” he said to the caller, according to a transcript. “I didn’t get the ball rolling. It is Democrats like Al Sharpton who have warned that there will be.”

Denver City Councilman Charles Brown, a Republican and Limbaugh listener, was outraged. Brown was a school teacher in Illinois during the Democratic National Convention in Chicago in 1968. He recalled the injuries, chaos, lingering tear gas and national disgrace for Chicago as a result of the riots.

“What an insult,” Brown said of Limbaugh’s flippancy. “Regardless of political labels, for any radio announcer to wish a riot on a city so his party could win, that’s disgraceful and it’s absurd.”

He said he has found Limbaugh to be a “great entertainer, but he’s really gone too far. It’s almost juvenile.”

Brown said he did not think Limbaugh was speaking for Republicans when he made the comment.

“I don’t believe there is a Republican in this state that would agree with his comment.”

The station’s listeners had mixed reviews, according to the 850 KOA online discussion forum.

“The man is first and foremost an entertainer, selling radio spots at exorbitant rates,” one listener wrote. “He does however have the best interests of the country at heart. The idea that he is somehow trying to foster riots at the DNC is the typical left-wing dodge resorted to when confronted with the consequences of their own actions.”

Another said, “I am aware that it is all for show, but that fact that many Americans hang their hats on his every word is quite disturbing. They can’t think for themselves. They can’t see that he is all about self gain.”

Joey Bunch was a reporter for 12 years at The Denver Post before leaving to join The Gazette in Colorado Springs. For various newspapers he has covered the environment, water issues, politics, civil rights, sports and the casino industry. He likes stories more than reports.

More in News

Russian officials had disdainful words Saturday for a U.S. indictment that charged 13 Russians with interfering in the 2016 presidential election. Children’s stories, the plot of a preposterous Hollywood movie and “just blabber” were a few of the glib analogies they pressed into service.

President Donald Trump’s national security adviser said Saturday there was “incontrovertible” evidence of a Russian plot to disrupt the 2016 U.S. election, a blunt statement that shows how significantly the new criminal charges leveled by an American investigator have upended the political debate over his inquiry.

The University of Colorado leadership is grappling with how to address a nationwide nosedive in the favorability of higher education — particularly, among conservatives — as CU’s own representatives and decision-makers disagree on what’s behind the downturn.